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Application of multilevel confirmatory factor analysis to compositional organizational constructs

Pavithra Ganesh (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India)
Kailash B.L. Srivastava (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India)

International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior

ISSN: 1093-4537

Article publication date: 15 September 2022

Issue publication date: 10 November 2022

187

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to offer insight into the applications of multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) within organizational behavior (OB) studies, specifically when using macro-level variables. The authors used the case of a scale measuring collective organizational engagement (COE) to demonstrate the advantage of using MCFA over single-level confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used nine referent-shift items to measure the dimensions of physical, cognitive and emotional COE. MCFA and aggregated single-level CFA were conducted on the same data using Mplus V. 8.7, and the authors compared standardized parameters from the two techniques.

Findings

The results indicate a three-factor model of collective engagement with CFA and MCFA. Stronger item loadings, factor correlations and composite reliability were found in the MCFA within-level model compared to aggregated CFA model. MCFA also supported an alternate one-factor-between-three-factors-within model of COE.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates the application of MCFA with a compositional construct and compares MCFA to mean-aggregated single-level CFA. It presents a case for OB researchers to apply MCFA to compositional constructs as a best methodological practice.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Citation

Ganesh, P. and Srivastava, K.B.L. (2022), "Application of multilevel confirmatory factor analysis to compositional organizational constructs", International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, Vol. 25 No. 3/4, pp. 204-220. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-04-2022-0065

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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